Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-09

"Oh, wait | do want them, she gasp
ed tuggng at the ring on her finger.
But that little member was wiser than
its owner, and stoutly declined to surrender
its girdle.
Hold on. I'll fix it, " said the packman
producing tiny file.
And, in a minute more, glistening rat
tling figure was tramping off in the sun
light while the other party to the bargain
stood gazing tearfully first at her tingling
forefnger, shorn of its splendor, and then
at the six precious beans she casped in her
other hand
Well, the ring was gone beyond recall
that was certain. So, philosophically smoth-
ering her grief, she proceeded TO select the
best spot for the earthly terminus of her
fairy ladder.
The door-yard was rejected as too public,
the pine grove too retired, but down in the
corner of the south meadow was Just the
place.
Digging a hole by the rail fence, she
dropped half the beans in their soft, dark
bed and tucked them up snugly. The 9th
er three were carefully wrapped in paper
and hidden in Rachel's nutmeg CRATER
That being done, dinner over, grandma
still away, and Rachel busy, Roxy was left
without anything to divert her mind, which
naturally turned to the loss of her ring
and her corresponding ingratitude toward
her grandfather.
This train Of thought was so distressing
ly melancholy that by sunset she was found
by the home-comers a tear-stained, woe
begone little bunch, curled up in the china
closet.
Tender inquiries brought forth the cause
of all this sorrow, and the indignant Rachel
produced the remaining precious seeds for
the elders to Judge of their worth apart
from fairyland valuation.
She laid the package in grandpa's hand
He looked at them, and then at grandma.
She shook her head warningly, but it was
too late.
Such peal of laughter as followed that
inspection 1t shook the very Ay-papers
hanging from the ceiling.
"You blessed baby These are pumpkin
seeds !" he cried. "There are about ten
bushels of them in the barn, if had known
you wanted them"
This was too much. Roxanna buried her
head in grandmas skirts-the pigtails were
so very tousled that the additional rumpling
could not affect them-and there she cung
until promises of new ring, fruit-cake
for tea, and crumpets for breakfast finally
induced her to accept grandpa's apologies
She did not avenge her wrongs on her
planted possessions, however. If they
were not fairy bean stalks. at least they
were matter-of-fact pumpkin-vines and
that was better than nothing.
From the first tiny leaflet, she watched
over them with a mothers care and when
at last after seemingly endless time, one
wee pumpkin began to develop itself she
resigned calves and colts, rabbits and chick
ems, and sat by the side of her treasure
from morning till night, unless it rained,
in which case the hired man carried her
under a shawl TO inspect it the very last
thing before supper.
If the pumpkin there never was but one
was long in entering into existence in the
world, it made up for all delays for it
swelled and grew like great air balloon.
until even grandpa, passing that way,
paused in astonishment, and said
Great gum-trees Roxy, your pump
kin's left mine away behind - and inquired
about it respectfully ever afterward
Whether it was the devoted care of those
ten little fingers, or whether it was the sun
shine from those two blue eyes, or whether
it was simply some extra fine seed, do not
know but surely such a pumpkin never
grew before.
Roxy would have liked TO set sen
tinel over it at night, lest some Samson
like thief should come and spirit it away
All the neighbors came to wonder at and
measure it and if the fiat rested more fire.
quently than ever on Roxy's back, and if
she fell down dozen times day, owing
to her slippers being united I'm sure she
was hardly to blame.
OF course, it had to go to the October
| fair (; and it took two men to roll it up an
inclined plane into the farm wagon, Roxy
| in her best white frock and blue shoulder
knots, insisting on riding with it, escorted
| by Mike, much to grandma's horror who
wished her to go like a little lady, between
herself and grandpa in the gig
1t had the place of honor in the exhibit
room and its proud owner stood beside it
| the entire afternoon receiving a gold eagle
for its premium with the utmost dignity.
The return home was IA most trumphal
affair for every one at the fair had show
cred sweetmeats and toys on the successful
little owner till the farm wagon looked like
a movable Christmas tree, and, if she did
not recover for week afterward, it was
hardly wonder.
The golden eagle went into the savings
bank in Roxanna's name, the pumpkin went
into a host of pies, and the sweetmeats went
where such things are apt to go, if the pos
SCISSOR is too young for dyspepsia.
So the family came to regard Roxy's bar
gain in quite favorable light, and regard
ed her as a remarkably shrewd young per
son to have made it and the moral to that
| is if fairy beanstalks sometimes turn out
TO be merely pumpkin vines, the best thing
to do is not to be discouraged ed-Goiden
| Ddus